Chapter Text
It wasn't supposed to happen this way.
Jacob goes over and over the last week in his head, trying to see where things went wrong, how he could have fixed things. He can't. Being a werewolf is no good when the bad shit has already happened, and no one seems to have invented time travel, so here we are.
Bella is dead.
Even just the thought makes Jacob want to vomit. He spent weeks trying to convince her that having the baby would kill her, but she wouldn't listen. Too damn stubborn. She wouldn't even listen to Edward, or Carlisle, or people who actually knew what they were talking about. Edward had tried to save her, but his venom wasn't enough. He was too late. They were all too fucking late.
Nothing will ever erase the image of Bella's pale, lifeless body on that table, Edward clinging to her hands like he could will her back to life. Jacob had vomited then, making it to the sink just in time. Edward had stayed there for two days, holding her hand, still as a statue. Not breathing, not moving. Carlisle and Emmett had to drag him away in the end, with Jasper's freaky help. Alice had disappeared too, blaming herself.
Honestly the whole thing was a mess. And in the midst of it all, Jacob had gone and imprinted on the baby. Gravity had ceased to exist, and it was now her tethering him to the earth. He had wanted to kill the baby, to do his duty as a werewolf, as the heir to Ephirim Black's line. But the minute those tiny blue eyes met his, he was a goner. It hadn't been how he expected (of course, this is a baby we are talking about). The bond is familial, platonic, like she were a daughter or a younger sister. He just wants to protect her, to keep her safe. His imprint is the only thing keeping Sam's pack from tearing her to shreds. They're all lucky that Sam isn't invoking the treaty for Bella's death, but Jacob's memories of Bella's stubbornness and insistence had won out. Bella's death was her own fault, as far as the pack were concerned.
So now, a week after the baby's birth, Jacob is sat on a balcony at the Cullen house, looking out into the dark forest and contemplating leaving. As if he could. As if the imprint would let him. He hears a rustle behind him, and turns to see Emmett standing in the doorway, his hulking frame blocking the light from inside.
"You need to come in. Its urgent." Emmett's face is ashen, gaunt as only hunger can do to a vampire. His eyes are black, deep as night, and his arms are crossed over his chest.
"What is it?" Jacob stands, following Emmett back into the house. The family are gathered in the sitting room, even Alice. Rosalie sits in the corner, a small bundle in her lap. She's never far from the baby, showing a kindness that Jacob didn't know she was capable of. Jacob scans the room, noticing that Edward is still absent. Its Alice who speaks first, her voice hoarse as if she has been screaming.
"Edward is dead." Alice murmurs, staring forward into nothingness. Jasper has his arm tight around her shoulders, whispering into her ear. There's a deafening silence, broken only by Rosalie's soft murmurings to the baby.
"What?" Jacob asks, mouth agape. "When? How?"
"This morning. He provoked the Volturi and they tore him apart and burned him. Like he tried to do last year, when he thought Bella was dead. This time he has succeeded." Carlisle's voice is low, haunted as only a parent who's lost their child can be. Esme stands beside him, their hands joined tightly as she lays her other hand on Alice's shoulder.
"I should have seen it." Alice whispers, so quiet that Jacob struggles to hear her. Jasper shakes his head, a minute movement that a human would have missed. "He must have gotten around my visions somehow. I couldn't see." She sounds unaffected, indifferent. Even Jacob knows this a front, a desperate attempt to keep herself together. He even finds himself feeling sorry for her, just a little. In this moment she is just a sister that has lost her brother.
"It's not your fault, Alice." Emmett says, uncharacteristically tactful. "He knew what he was doing. He didn't want to live without... Bella." Emmett's voice cracks as he says her name, and Jacob flinches.
"What happens now? With the baby?" Jacob asks, looking over at Rosalie. She doesn't look up as she replies.
"I've got her. I'll raise her." She says smoothly, and Jacob's heart twinges as his wolf rages inside him.
"Not without me." He says firmly, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. The last thing he needs right now is a fight, and everything with the blonde vampire always comes to a fight. Rosalie looks up, her sharp eyes narrowing at his statement. She takes a deep, unnecessary breath, as if to steel herself.
"Fine. Only because I know its what Bella and Edward would want. But she stays here. She is not going near those dogs." Rosalie lays down the challenge, expecting a fight. Jacob is too tired, too drained. Too damn sad.
"Fine. For now." He grunts, and theres a collective sigh of relief.
"Carlie." Rosalie says softly, and Jacob looks at her in surprise.
"Come again?" He asks, frowning.
"Her name. Its Carlie. Bella wanted to combine her father and Carlisle's names. Her middle name is Renesme, for their mothers." Rosalie says simply, pressing a kiss to Carlie's forehead.
"Carlie Cullen?" Jacob snorts, much to Rosalie's disgust.
"I think its beautiful." Esme says in her melodic voice. There's a quiet whoosh of air as Alice and Jasper leave the room, and Carlisle follows their movement with sorrow in his dark eyes.
"Could be worse." Jacob shrugs. He can live with it. His head snaps up towards the window, towards the sound of rustling leaves in the forest. Emmett follows his gaze, his fists clenched by his sides. "Its probably Seth. I'll go." Jacob goes to leave the room, flinching a little when Esme places a gentle, cold hand on his arm.
"Thank you, Jacob." She says softly, her onyx eyes catching his gaze. "We couldn't do this without you." Jacob nods, uncomfortable, and leaves the room. He heads toward the back door, quickly removing his clothes and shoes before shifting into his wolf form. Its been days since he last shifted, and as the forest comes into view, he stretches out his joints and prepares himself for the onslaught. Seth and Leah's voices are there in an instant, sifting through Jacob's thoughts and memories.
*Edward is dead?*
*Good riddance.*
*Shut up, Leah, that's not nice.*
*One less leech in the world, sounds nice to me.*
*Both of you shut up, I can't hear myself think.*
Jacob howls, signalling his position, and both wolves come to meet him.
*We need to tell Sam, just so he knows the situation. I'll get a message to my dad, and he'll contact Sam. Tomorrow, 6pm, on the east side of the border. I'd tell you both not to come but you haven't shown any listening skills so far so I'll save my breath.*
*Why do we have to tell him anything? And why are we still here? The leeches don't need us anymore.*
*We're here cos it's the right thing to do, Leah. We are Jake's pack now.*
*Not exactly by choice.*
*I told you both to go and you didn't, so it looks like we are stuck together. Do your perimeter checks then go home. I don't think we'll be needed, now Sam can't touch the baby.*
*The baby with a stupid name.*
*Leah! Ignore her, Jake. I think its a sweet name.*
Jacob huffs, turning back towards the Cullen house and leaving the wolf siblings to their bickering. He shifts back to human as he reaches his stash of clothes and shoes, quickly dressing before heading back inside. He doesn't knock. No point now.
Carlisle is standing in the kitchen, watching Jacob's approach. He looks... ruffled. Tired, which shouldn't be possible, but it is. His hands are tucked in his pockets, his blonde hair wild from running his hands through it.
"Hello, Jacob." Carlisle greets him, ever friendly.
"Carlisle." Jacob nods politely. He has no greivance with the Cullen patriarch, besides all the vampires he has created. Carlisle is kind in a way thats hard to ignore, and even harder to be mad at. Jacob doesn't have it in him to be mad at anyone, even Edward. It's too draining, too painful.
"My family need to hunt. Rosalie is refusing to leave the baby, but the rest of us need to go tonight."
"You're safe, just keep to the boundary. You won't have any more issues with Sam. Not harming an imprint is their biggest law, and now Edward is... gone, there's no one to pay for Bella's death." Jacob tries to speak softly, instinctively lessening the blow of his words. Carlisle still flinches and Jacob immediately feels guilty.
"Yes. I can't thank you enough for what you have done for my family. I know a lot of it was for Bella, but I am still grateful. I hope... I hope you will keep coming here. You and your pack are welcome. I think Esme is enjoying having the two of them around, despite Leah's hostility." Carlise chuckles but its empty and hollow.
"Oh yeah, thats just Leah. She's hostile with everyone." Jacob shrugs.
"I was here when the treaty was written. I know how difficult it is for the three of you to go against your instincts. I admire that. You have my gratitude." Carlisle nods, walking back into the house. Jacob follows, uncomfortable with the older vampire's kindness.
"Are we going?" Emmett's booming voice comes from the next room, and Jacob starts at the sound.
"Yes, we are leaving. Rosalie is still staying?" Carlisle stops as Esme walks towards him and tucks herself under his arm, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Yup." Emmett says gruffly, cracking his knuckles. Carlisle and Esme exchange a look, but say nothing. Alice and Jasper appear at the bottom of the staircase, quiet and unmoving. Carlisle nods in their direction and the family leaves, there one moment and gone the next.
The house is unnaturally quiet in their absence, and the empty, abandoned feeling gives Jacob the creeps. He goes in search of Rosalie and Carlie, needing to distract himself from the grief and sadness that threatens to eat him from the inside out.